Category Archives: Vegetarian

Shakshuka

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Whenever I go out for breakfast I order Shakshuka and on Sunday I decided to make my own at home. It’s a simply dish to try and delicious with flavours. Shakshuka is a Mediterranean egg dish cooked with tomatoes, capsicum and spices such as cumin, paprika and chilli flakes. Garnished with feta chesses, coriander, basil and green chilli.

Ingredients

I tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon paprika

pinch of chilli flakes or to your liking

3/4 Capsicum chopped (I added more)

1/2 onion chopped

1 garlic clove crushed

250g tin crushed tomatoes

4 eegs

To Garnish

25g chopped feta cheese

Chopped corriander

Chopped Basil

1/2 green chilli (optional)

Method

Heat oil in a frying pan. Cook onions and capcicum for 5 minutes or until soft.

Add garlic and cook for a few seconds, add spices and cook until fragrant.

Add tomatoes and season, and bring to a simmer.

Slowly add eggs to mixture, reduce heat and cover with a foil paper and cook for 4-8 or to your liking.

Once ready, garnish with feta, basil, coriander and chilli.

Note

You can bake the eggs instead of leaving it on the stove. Bake eggs for 7-8 minutes.

This dish serves 4

Crumble Fish and Salsa

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My third finale main dish for Christmas lunch is a delicious crumble fish with salsa.  The fish is marinated with lemon, rosemary and coasted in bread crumbs.  The salsa salad is a combination of tomatoes, red chilli, coriander and cucumber.



   Fish crumble you will need:

Two large snappers

1/3 cup bread crumbs

1 tablespoon rosemary 

1 lemon  juice

I teaspoon lemon zest

Salt and peer to season

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees

Place the rosemary and lemon zest in the breadcrumbs.  

Squeeze the lemon on the fish, season with salt and pepper.  Coat the fish in the bread crumbs.

Line a baking tray with non stick paper and place the fish on the tray.  

Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

To make the salsa you will need.

250g cherry tomatoes

1 red chilli

125g fresh coriander leaves.

1/2 a lemon juiced

Salt and pepper to season.

Method

Chop the tomatoes in half. chop the chilli, chop the coriander.

In a salad bowl add the ingredients and season with salt. pepper and lemon juice. Mix well.

Potato and Pea Cutlets

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I changed my mum’s Meat Cutlets recipe to Potato and Peas Cutlets. When I was younger my mum made a similar dish.  She added mince meat and potatoes.  Rolled it into a ball and  coated it in eggs and bread crumbs and deep fried the cutlets.

I changed the recipe to a healthier version.   Instead of deep frying I baked it in the oven.  Replaced the meat and added peas and spinach and coated it in egg and breadcrumbs.

Ingredients

100g mashed potato

100g baby peas

1 cup spinach

30g bread crumbs

1 egg beaten

 

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C and line tray with baking paper.

Boil the peas and place in a bowl and gently mash the peas.  Don’t mash them to much.

Chop spinach and add to the bowl.

Add the mash potato.

Mix the ingredients until combined and roll them into 3-4 balls.

Remove two plates.  In one plate place the beaten eggs and another plate place the bread crumbs.

Coat the mixture in the egg and then the breadcrumbs.  Coat evenly.

Place in the baking tray and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown.

 

Note 

This dish serves 1

Use frozen mash potato and peas.

To make the mash potato healthier do not add cream or milk.  Leave the potato plain.

 

Try these potato dishes

Lamb Cutlets with Spicy Potatoes

Pea and Potato Curry

Mustard lamb with Cauliflower and Potato Mash

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Black bean and Buckwheat Bowl

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I usually have sandwiches or wraps for lunch and I wanted to try something different.  I came across a recipe and they had used quinoa.  I am not a fan of quinoa so I swapped the quinoa for buckwheat and used egg instead of avocado.  I also added sundried tomato pesto to the dish.

This dish is filling, the buckwheat, black beans and lettuce go well and the egg gives this dish a creamy texture.

Ingredients

125g  canned black beans drained and rinsed.

1/3 cup raw buckwheat

125g lettuce

1 boiled egg

1 tablespoon sundried tomato pesto

salt and pepper ((optional)

 

Method

Cook buckwheat according to packet instructions.  (See note)

Boil 1 egg.  (See note)

Remove a bowl.  Add chopped lettuce, black beans, buckwheat, pesto and egg.

 

Note

This dish serves 1

I use the ratio 1:3  – I cup buckwheat and three cups  waters.  Put the buckwheat in boiling water and bring to the boil.  Cover and simmer for thirty minutes.  Drain any excess liquid.

Place one egg in cold water over medium heat.  Bring to the boil, put the heat off and cover for 7 minutes or less depending on how soft you want the egg.

 

Try these lunch ideas

Buckwheat Salad

Leftover Chicken Salad

Mexican Bowl

 

 

Egg and Black Bean Sauce

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A couple weeks ago I had gone out for breakfast and ordered Spanish egg for breakfast and it was delicious but filled with loads of calories.  They had eggs, French fries, spinach and three slices of bread and the  tomato salsa had beans.

So I decided to make a healthier version.   I removed the French fries, added mushrooms and made my own sauce and it was filling.

 

Ingredients

1 egg

100g button mushrooms

200g canned tomatoes

1 medium carrot grated in small pieces

½ onion chopped

1 clove garlic

75g canned black beans drained and rinsed

½ teaspoon paprika

½ a teaspoon black pepper

pinch of cayenne pepper

salt to season

One slice of toast

 

Method 

Preheat oven to 180ºC

Line baking tray with non stick baking paper.  Add the mushroom drizzle oil and pepper.  Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown

In a sauce pan. place the egg, fill pan with water and place on the stove.  On medium high heat.  When it is boiling put the heat off, cover pan and wait for 7 minutes.  Remove egg let it rest than crack.

To make the sauce, add oil in a sauce pan.  Add onions, cook for 5 minutes, add garlic, paprika and cayenne pepper and cook for 1 minute.  Add the tomatoes and grated carrots,  Bring to the boil.  Add black beans and simmer for 20 minutes or until sauce is thick   Season with salt.

Note

This dish serves 1

They are may ways to boil an egg, use your preferred method.

 

Try these dishes

Moroccan Eggs

Apple Pikelets and Poached Apples

Banana Pikelets

 

 

Tortellini with Roasted Pumpkin and Mushroom

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Tortellini is a ring shape pasta that has a filling.  I added roasted vegetables to this dish and mixed it with pesto.  The pumpkin adds the sweetness, the pesto has a tangy taste and mushroom has an earthy flavour.

Ingredients

4 cups tortellini

500g pumpkin diced

500g mushroom

2 cups spinach

3 tbsp.. olive oil

2 tsp. Italian herbs

Salt to season (optional)

2 tbsp. Nutty Pesto

 

Method 

Preheat oven to 180ºC

Line two baking trays with non stick papers.  Put pumpkins in the bowl add 1 tbsp. of the olive oil and 1 tsp pf the Italian herb and mix.  Place on the tray evenly and place in the oven. Bake for 25 minutes or until  cooked through.

In another bowl add the 1tbsp pf olive oil and the remaining 1 tsp of  Italian herbs and mix.  Place in the oven.  Bake for  20-225 minutes or until browned.

Cook tortellini according to packet instructions.

In a saucepan heat the pesto with the remaining olive oil for a minute or two.  Make sure it doesn’t burn.  Add the pasta, mushroom and pumpkin and mix.  Put the heat off and let it cool.  Serve with spinach.

 

Note

This dish serves 4

Feel free to add other vegetables.

 

Try these pasta  dishes

Pasta with Pesto and Meatballs

Sardines & Chilli Linguine

Rigatoni with Chicken and Broccoli

 

 

 

Cauliflower and Lentil Soup

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Another great winter warmer.  This soup has roasted cauliflower and red lentils.  Coconut milk is added to  the soup to give it the creamy texture.

Ingredients

1 Cauliflower

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 tsp grated ginger

2 garlic cloves grated

1 tbsp. mild curry powder

1 tsp garam masala

½ a cup dried lentils

4 cups water

½ a cup reduced fat coconut milk

Salt to season

 

Method

Preheat oven to 180ºC

Line baking tray with non stick paper.  Cut cauliflower florets and place on the tray.  Spray olive oil over cauliflower and bake for 15 minutes or until tender.

On medium high heat, place a sauce with the olive oil,  Add onions. garlic and ginger and cook for 5 minutes.  Add the curry powder, garam masala and red lentils, cook or a minute or until fragrant.

Add the water in the saucepan and  bring to the boil,  Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until lentils are tender.

Add three quarters of the cauliflower and the coconut milk.  Using a stick blender, blend until smooth.

Add remaining cauliflower and enjoy.

 

Note

This dish serves 4

 

Try these cauliflower dishes

Indian Pilau and Roasted Cauliflower

Mustard lamb with Cauliflower and Potato Mash

Moroccan Cauliflower Rice and Lamb Curry

 

 

 

 

 

Carrot and Lentil Soup

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Love this winter soup. it’s full of flavour and the hot curry powder gives this soup a warm kick,  This soup uses only two main ingredients, carrot and red lentils and it’s simple to make.

Ingredients

500g carrot

65g dried red lentils

I litre water

I tbsp. olive oil

1 chopped brown onion

3 tsp grated ginger

1 tbsp. hot curry powder

 

Method 

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add the chopped onions and cook for5 minutes.

Add the ginger and curry powder and cook for a minute or until fragrant.

Add the carrot, lentils and water and bring to the boil.  Reduce heat to simmer and partially cover the saucepan.  Simmer for 15 minutes. Make sure the lentils and carrots are cooked.

Using a stick blender, blend until smooth or to your liking.

 

Note

This dish serves 4

 

Try these dishes

Poached Chicken Soup

Moroccan Lamb and Chickpea Soup

Turmeric Chicken and Carrot Noodle

Beetroot and Carrot Salad

Dhal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dhal

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One of my favourite vegetarian dishes.  Lentils is packed with proteins, iron and other great nutrients.  Love the taste, you can either make it with coconut or tomatoes. I like  dhal  with the tomatoes because, it’s whole and has a bite to it.  This dish can be served with rice or chapattis, wraps or flat bread.  In my opinion it goes well with chapattis, wraps or flat bread.

Ingredients

½ a cup red split lentil dhal

1 tsp ground paprika

1 tsp  ground curry powder

1 tsp ground coriander

½ onion

3 tomatoes

2 tbsp. tomato paste

2 tbsp. olive oil

Salt for seasoning

 

Method

In a saucepan over medium heat, add the onions fry until soft.  Add the garlic fry for a few seconds.  Add the spices, cook for a few seconds or until fragrant.

Add the tomato paste and tomatoes.  cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add the dhal and cook according to packet instructions

 

Note 

This dish serves 4

 

Try another vegetarian dish.

Pea and Potato Curry

Chick Pea Curry

Moroccan Eggs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pea and Potato Curry

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I started cooking when I was 20 and this was my first dish.  It is a simple dish packed with spices and have made it a thousand times.  It is accompanied with flatbreads, wraps or chapattis.

Ingredients

750g potatoes

I tbsp. mustard seeds

1 tsp turmeric

½ tsp chilli flakes

tsp ground cumin

tsp garam masala

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion sliced

2 tsp. grated fresh ginger

2 clove garlic grated

½ cup water

1 cup frozen peas (You can also use fresh peas)

Salt and pepper for seasoning

 

Method

  1. Chop the potatoes in cubes.  If using baby potatoes quarter them.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a pan.  Add the mustard seeds and wait for it to pop.  Once popped add the onions, garlic and ginger.  Stir until it’s soft.
  3. Add the spices as well as the salt and pepper.  Cook until fragrant.
  4. Add the potatoes, coat with onion and spices.  Add the water and simmer for 15-20 minutes or just tender.
  5. Add peas and simmer for 3-5 minutes.  Make sure potatoes is cooked through and water absorbed.

 

Note

Dish serves 4

If you don’t have mustard seeds add 1 tsp of mustard powder.

If using mustard powder

Heat oil in a pan and add onions garlic and ginger.  Cook until soft.

Add the spices cumin, mustard powder, garam masala, turmeric, salt and pepper.

Continue step 4 and 5

 

Try these vegetarian dish

Dhal

Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni

Chick Pea Curry